"Well...you seem different tonight. Not a bad different, mind you, just...just different."

Thinking for a moment, Toni said, "I'm having a bit of trouble at work."

"Trouble? With one of your students?"

"No!" Toni said, jumping off the sofa. Storming into the kitchen, she grabbed a beer from the fridge. "With bloody Laura MacLeod!"

Kris pursed her lips, tilting her head to one side as she tried to decipher what Toni had said. Quickly giving up, she waited until Toni returned and sat down next to her. "So, who's Laura MacLeod?"

"The new head of the department."

"And she doesn't like you?"

"I have no bloody clue if she likes me or not, and frankly, I couldn't give a toss either way," Toni said, slamming her beer down on the coffee table. "What I do mind is the fact that she spent the entire fucking week in my one o'clock reading class!"

"Why?"

"Because of the fucking monthly reports, and since John is out, she felt the need to fill in for him."

"And you weren't comfortable with her being there, were you?"

"You know I wasn't," Toni said, looking at Kris for a second. "But I managed, because until today, all I had the women do was read to themselves. I didn't have to teach; all I had to do was just sit there and wait for the class to end."

"So what happened today?"

"I taught."

"What?"

"I taught the bloody class, like I always do."

"She wasn't there?"

"No, she was there. I just chose to ignore her."

"Wait. I don't understand. If you taught today and everything went okay, what's got you so wound up?"

Narrowing her eyes, Toni glared at Krista. "You want to know? Do you really want to know?"

"Yes, I really want to know," Kris said, grinning.

Grabbing her briefcase from the floor, Toni pulled out the apple. Placing it firmly in Krista's hand, Toni shouted, "This!"

Staring at the fruit, it was all Kris could do not to laugh. "You're angry at an apple?" she said, knowing the question was possibly the stupidest she had ever asked.

"No!" Toni said, grabbing for her beer. After taking a quick swig, she said, "And I'm not angry, Krista. I'm...I'm...oh, Christ, I don't know what I am!"

Placing the fruit on the table, Kris asked, "So...what's with the apple?"

"She gave it to me."

"Who?"

Toni's frustrations were solely her own, but it didn't prevent her from lashing out at Kris. "Are you actually trying to act this stupid or are you just yanking my chain?"

The comment was harsh and uncalled for, but Kris didn't mind. This was the feisty and hardheaded Toni Vaughn who she adored. This was the best friend who had always been there for her, and Kris knew Toni didn't mean what she said. She was confused, upset, and in her own way, she was crying out for help for the first time since her release from prison. Placing her hand over Toni's, Kris said, "Honey, just tell me what happened?"

Taking a deep breath, Toni leaned back against the couch and ran her fingers through her hair. "After class, I heard her leave, and when I turned around, that was on my desk," she said, pointing to the apple.

"So she gave you that."

"Yes, and I don't know why, and it's turning my bloody head around."

"Maybe she was just trying to be nice. An apple for the teacher and all that."

"I didn't ask her to be nice. I don't trust her. I don't trust any of them," Toni said, and with every syllable, her voice faded as she slowly retreated back into herself.

Krista let out a sigh. Watching as Toni moved her bottle of beer to its coaster, and then picked up the papers she needed to grade, her actions and her silence told Krista that the evening had ended.

Leaning over, Kris kissed her lightly on the cheek. "Good night, Toni. Call me if you need me, okay?"

Toni nodded and then lit a cigarette, paying no mind as Kris gathered her belongings and quietly left the flat.

By the time Kris reached the stairs, her smile was wide and bright. For almost two hours, she had enjoyed the company of someone she never thought she'd see again. Even though she had no idea how the door to Toni's emotions had been unlocked, Kris was positive that a woman called Laura MacLeod held the key.

Hearing a knock on the door, Laura looked up as Irene walked into her office. "Laura, there's a woman outside who would like to talk to you, but she doesn't have an appointment."

"How's my day look?"

"You've got that conference call at eleven. Other than that, you're clear."

"Did she say what it's about?"

"No, just that she needed to see you about something very important."

"Well, I have a bit of time," Laura said, glancing at her watch. "I'll talk to her."

Laura was accustomed to unscheduled visitors. At least once a week, a parent or sibling of one of the residents would stop by to check on their loved one's progress or complain about their curfew, so she waited patiently for the door to open again. When it did, for a moment Laura simply stared at the woman smiling back at her. Statuesque and blonde, she was dressed in an ivory skirt and jacket, and a shimmering pale green silk blouse open at the collar. Her makeup was flawless. Her jewelry was gold, and she had the lightest blue eyes Laura had ever seen.

Kris was pleasantly surprised when she walked into Laura MacLeod's office, and it showed on her face. The woman sitting behind the desk was younger than she expected, and it didn't hurt that she was also easy on the eyes...very easy. With the sunlight streaming through the window, Kris wasn't sure if the woman's hair was red or brown, but even the glaring rays couldn't wash out Laura MacLeod's finer features. Her complexion was clear and her jaw strong, and her full lips, enhanced by just a touch of lipstick, screamed soft and kissable. Remembering she already had a partner whom she loved dearly, Kris toned down her smile as she held out her hand. "Hi. I'm Krista Nielson."

Standing, Laura returned the handshake. "Laura MacLeod," she said. Motioning for her visitor to take a seat, Laura returned to her own. "What can I do for you, Miss Nielson?"

"Oh, please call me Kris or Krista."

"Okay, Kris, what can I help you with?"

Kris quickly glanced toward the door. "Before I answer that, is there any chance that Toni will be down here this morning?"

"Toni? Toni Vaughn?"

"Yes. If she knew I was here, she'd probably get a bit upset, and I wouldn't want that to happen."

Cocking her head to the side, Laura sat back in her chair. "No, Toni doesn't come down here," she said, carefully watching for the woman's reaction. When she saw Krista's posture relax, Laura leaned forward and said, "Now, since I just answered your question, you can answer mine. Who are you and what's this all about?"

Taking a minute to get her thoughts organized, Kris sat back and crossed her legs. "I've been Toni's best friend since we were kids, and since she got out of...out of Thornbridge, I've been taking care of her."

"In what way?"

"I get her groceries, take her car to get repaired, pick up medications if she needs them, and make sure she's eating. Things like that."

"Is it that bad? I mean, I know she's quite the loner here, but I didn't think-"

"She goes from work to her flat and back again. Nowhere else...ever."

Laura's mouth fell open as she stared at Kris, and several seconds passed before she found her voice. "I...I had no idea."

"That's because you don't know her like I do, or rather...I did."

"Did?"

"That woman upstairs looks like Toni and sounds like Toni, but since Thornbridge, she's become a stranger to me. I forgot what it was like to hear her laugh or joke, or even get angry. Christ, did she have a temper," Kris said with a snort. "But on Friday night, for the first time in over two years, I saw a glimpse of my old friend. It made me miss her even more, and I want my friend back. I want her back more than words can say."

"I'm sure you do, but I'm not sure why you're telling me this."

"Because I think you can help. That is, if you want to."

Since the day she first met the withdrawn teacher, Laura had found it difficult, if not impossible, not to think about the enigma called Toni Vaughn. There was something about the scrawny woman with lifeless eyes that piqued her interest, and although Susan Grant had given up, Laura was a wee bit more stubborn. After watching Toni teach, and seeing the enthusiasm in both the students and the teacher, Laura had made up her mind. If there was any way she could help Toni Vaughn, she would.

Leaning back in her chair, she asked, "What do you think I can do?"

"I'm not exactly sure, but Friday night, when I got to her place, she was absolutely livid, and it was because of you."

"Oh, God, this is because I monitored her class, isn't it? Kris, I apologize if I upset her. That wasn't my intention, and I'll tell her that myself if you think-"

"No!" Kris shouted, sitting up in her chair. "Miss MacLeod-"

"Call me Laura, please."

"Fine...Laura," Kris said, getting to her feet. "Look, I don't want you to apologize. The only emotion that Toni has shown since she got out of that place is fear. She doesn't smile. She doesn't cry. She doesn't get happy when things go her way or sad when they don't, and she certainly doesn't get angry...at least she didn't until Friday night."

"I still don't understand what you want me to do."

"Keep going to her class."

"What?"

"You heard. Keep going to her class."

"Kris, I did that because a report had to be filed. If I show up for no reason, Toni is going to get..." The rest of the sentence died in Laura's throat. Staring back at Kris, she said, "You want me to get her angry?"

"It's an emotion, isn't it?"

Reluctant to go along with Krista's idea for fear that playing amateur psychologist would do more harm than good, Laura agreed to meet Kris later that night to discuss it further. Parking her car, Laura walked two blocks and then rounded the corner which would lead her to a club called Exes. Seeing the long queue waiting to get in, she took a deep breath and continued on. Reaching the door, she was promptly stopped by a sequoia masquerading as a man. "Sorry, love," he said, holding out his arm. "You've got to wait like the rest of them."

"I'm here to see Kris Nielson," Laura said, handing him one of Krista's business cards. "I believe she's expecting me."

Recognizing his employer's handwriting on the back of the card, he opened the door. "There you go, love. Enjoy your night."

It took a minute for Laura to get her bearings when she entered the crowded club, mostly due to the fact that it was much larger than she expected. On two levels, the upper tier was just broad enough for a walkway and tables meant for two, while the lower held the dance floor and more seating. A standing-room-only bar ran along almost the entire back wall of the club, and there were people jammed three deep in front of it, shouting orders for lager, cocktails and wine. A little surprised that she saw very few men in the club, the observation left her mind as quickly as it had entered, and maneuvering through the throng, Laura reached the bar and grinned when she saw Kris smiling back at her.

"Glad to see you found us!" Kris called out over the chatter and the music.

"Yeah. This is quite a place!" Laura shouted back.

"What are you drinking?"

"Red wine. Something dry."

Giving Laura a thumbs-up, Krista grabbed a bottle and two glasses, and walked to the end of the bar. Waiting for Laura to emerge from the crowd, she led her down a hallway and into a small office. Kris motioned toward a loveseat placed along one wall, and as they sat down, she said, "I thought it would be easier to talk in here. Less noise."

"That's fine," Laura said, glancing around the room.

"Here you go."

Taking the offered glass, Laura said, "Won't your boss mind you drinking while on duty?"

"No, I don't mind at all."

"Wait. This is your club?"

"Actually, it belongs to Toni and me."

"Excuse me?"

Amused by Laura's bug-eyed expression, Kris said, "It was always my dream to own a club and Toni knew it. When this place became available, I told her about it and she offered to loan me the money to buy it."

"Wait a minute. Are you saying that Toni's rich?"

"Well, not stinking rich, but she inherited quite a tidy sum when her grandfather died. Between that and the money she made from her books, along with a few wise investments early on, she's fairly well off." Prepared for Laura's look of confusion, Kris said, "Let me guess. You want to know why she dresses the way she does, don't you?"

"I was kind of wondering about that. I mean, I know she's withdrawn-"

"Withdrawn doesn't even begin to describe her," Krista said. Taking a sip of wine, she said, "Toni doesn't trust anyone but me and to a certain extent, Canfield. And she's got this phobia about crowds and strangers that makes it impossible for her to go out, which is why I do all of her shopping and errands."